Blessing of the holy Mount Athos - Alexandros Kayas

On October 15, 2018 at 19.00 the Russian Cultural Centre will host the opening of a charity exhibition-sale of paintings of the Greek hagiographer and spiritual paintings’ artist Alexandros Kayas.

The exhibition of Alexandros Kayas will take place in Cyprus for the first time. Among the many exhibitions of the artist can be highlighted exhibitions held in the CIS countries: in 2012 in Gallery "Golden Mile" in Moscow, in 2013 in the museum "Spiritual Treasures of Ukraine" of Kiev. In 2015 in Νational Museum of History and Culture of Belorussia called "On Mount Athos", during which the artist was awarded by the Metropolitan Pavel of Minsk. Also, in 2015 the exhibition of the artist's works took place in InterContinental Hotel, Kiev.

Alexandros Kayas was born in Thessaloniki (1956). He developed a passion for painting when he was younger. He studied and worked in the atelier of the famous painter-hagiographer Nikolaos P. Georgiadis, he completed his knowledge in Byzantine art and painting at the famous hagiographer Christofanis Boutsina’s atelier. His greatest teacher and a very good friend was Savvas Konstantinidis, professor at School of Fine Arts of Aristotle University in Thessaloniki. Since 2000, Alexandros Kayas is a member of the Greek Chamber of Art.

During his adolescence, Mount Athos embodied the heart of his work as a religious icon painter. With the blessing of the monks, he is allowed to work on his paintings on Holy Mountain and to use real images of monks and scenes of church services. He feels it in a special way and recreates on the canvas the unique spiritual atmosphere of the Athonite services. Byzantine chants in the half-light, a uniquely vibrant explosion of colour - all this creates a mood that he tries to convey through his paintings, so that the viewer comes into contact with the energy of what is happening. The main purpose of the exhibition “The Blessing of the Holy Mount Athos”, is to let the viewer feel the striving of the monks of the Holy Mountain to be with God and the way they enter into invisible communion with the spiritual world of angels and saints.

At the exhibition – sale fourteen works will be presented. They are all made in the technique of frescoes, which is unique for the artist - he mixes paints with Athos sand.

Proceeds from the sale of paintings will go to the construction of the Russian Orthodox of St. Nicholas in Limassol (Kalogiri area). Information on construction progress can be found at http://hram.com.cy

• The exhibition will be open for visits from October 15 - 24, from 9.00 to 20.00 (except weekends)
• The exhibition will continue in the Lighthouse restaurant in Limassol from October 28 to November 10
• Telephone for information: +357 - 99 232678 (Femida)